Letters to the Editor for Dec. 12, 2012

Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 11:21 p.m.

The president I now have seems more comfortable on the campaign trail and in town meetings than running this country.

I misspoke. He is good at running this country; running it into the ground and off the fiscal cliff, running from what's best for the American people, running toward more entitlements, handouts, freeloaders, taxes, and more reductions of my liberties.

But Santa, that's not what I wanted, hence the request to return him.

Oh, and one more request please. If I can't return him, how about a gift for him and his friends. How about a nice convertible for Obama, Reid, and Pelosi and a map to the Grand Canyon with a notation that says, "Keep Driving!"

Ralph Kubicsek Sr.,

Gainesville

An unfair ban

What arbitrariness. What hypocrisy.

UF's all-powerful Athletic Association decrees that Florida's outstanding cheerleading squad must forever be grounded (literally). Without warning and without offering any compelling medical evidence, UAA has banned all cheerleading acrobatics.

Admittedly, acrobatics are riskier than just shaking one's pompons. But why single out cheerleaders when more dangerous activities abound on campus ... from scooters weaving through busy traffic to high-energy competition in gymnastics and basketball?

How, then, can UAA come down so hard against cheerleaders? Are they just an easy target? Is it a liability issue, with football players covered and cheerleaders not?

If so, amend your insurance or craft new cheerleading standards. But don't arbitrarily ban all acrobatic exercises. It's demeaning and unfair to those who've trained nearly as hard as most of the athletes they cheer on.

Carl R. Ramey,

Gainesville

Thank God for the U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has taken up the case, thank God, of gay "marriage."

Unlike racism, principled opposition to homosexual rights has a firm basis. And when the sanctity of marriage is at issue, the basis is even more firm.

Yet, the Obama administration has a huge and powerful bulldozer at its disposal, one created by the civil rights movement, to confuse and distort gender differences. It's called "The Selma Analogy" and it is what it is: A sham.

Tom Cunilio,

Gainesville

Local fans let down by a lack of Tebow

Lots of us traveled to Jacksonville to see the Jets and the Jags play on Sunday. We were hoping to see the best of Gainesville in Tim Tebow.

You would think the Jets coach would allow Tim to play a few minutes in front of his "hometown" crowd. But no. It's sad, and it wasn't a great game to say the least.

EverBank Stadium would have gone wild if Tebow had come into the game. It would have been worth the trip and lots of fun for the "Tebow" fans.

Maybe next time, Tim. We're praying for you to be transferred to your hometown and Gator country!

Appropriately, the two business school professors in the Point-Counterpoint debate outlined the unequivocal science supporting worldwide concerns about man-made climate change and the need to curtail fossil fuel burning.

<p><b>Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas</b></p><p>Dear Santa: I want a new president. Do you take returns?</p><p>The president I now have seems more comfortable on the campaign trail and in town meetings than running this country.</p><p>I misspoke. He is good at running this country; running it into the ground and off the fiscal cliff, running from what's best for the American people, running toward more entitlements, handouts, freeloaders, taxes, and more reductions of my liberties.</p><p>But Santa, that's not what I wanted, hence the request to return him. </p><p>Oh, and one more request please. If I can't return him, how about a gift for him and his friends. How about a nice convertible for Obama, Reid, and Pelosi and a map to the Grand Canyon with a notation that says, "Keep Driving!" </p><p><i>Ralph Kubicsek Sr.,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>An unfair ban</b></p><p>What arbitrariness. What hypocrisy. </p><p>UF's all-powerful Athletic Association decrees that Florida's outstanding cheerleading squad must forever be grounded (literally). Without warning and without offering any compelling medical evidence, UAA has banned all cheerleading acrobatics.</p><p>Admittedly, acrobatics are riskier than just shaking one's pompons. But why single out cheerleaders when more dangerous activities abound on campus ... from scooters weaving through busy traffic to high-energy competition in gymnastics and basketball?</p><p>And, meanwhile, football proceeds apace despite mounting evidence of serious risk from head injuries.</p><p>How, then, can UAA come down so hard against cheerleaders? Are they just an easy target? Is it a liability issue, with football players covered and cheerleaders not?</p><p>If so, amend your insurance or craft new cheerleading standards. But don't arbitrarily ban all acrobatic exercises. It's demeaning and unfair to those who've trained nearly as hard as most of the athletes they cheer on.</p><p><i>Carl R. Ramey,</p><p>Gainesville</i> </p><p><b>Thank God for the U.S. Supreme Court</b></p><p>The Supreme Court has taken up the case, thank God, of gay "marriage."</p><p>The popular press (as in Associated) likes to insert words like "discrimination" (see Dec. 10th's front page Sun story) to massage the brain. It's a subtle subterfuge. </p><p>Unlike racism, principled opposition to homosexual rights has a firm basis. And when the sanctity of marriage is at issue, the basis is even more firm. </p><p>Yet, the Obama administration has a huge and powerful bulldozer at its disposal, one created by the civil rights movement, to confuse and distort gender differences. It's called "The Selma Analogy" and it is what it is: A sham. </p><p><i>Tom Cunilio,</p><p>Gainesville</i> </p><p><b>Local fans let down by a lack of Tebow</b></p><p>Lots of us traveled to Jacksonville to see the Jets and the Jags play on Sunday. We were hoping to see the best of Gainesville in Tim Tebow. </p><p>You would think the Jets coach would allow Tim to play a few minutes in front of his "hometown" crowd. But no. It's sad, and it wasn't a great game to say the least.</p><p>EverBank Stadium would have gone wild if Tebow had come into the game. It would have been worth the trip and lots of fun for the "Tebow" fans.</p><p>Maybe next time, Tim. We're praying for you to be transferred to your hometown and Gator country!</p><p><i>Darlene Pifalo,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>Chamber head full of hot air on energy use</b></p><p>The U.S. Chamber of Commerce president's opinion column (Dec. 9 Sun) was laughable, but scary. He praised fracking and more U.S.-produced fossil fuels. Thomas Donahue never mentioned global climate chaos, fueled by burning fossil fuels.</p><p>Do politically powerful chamber members believe global warming is a hoax? Do they think recent record-breaking heat, drought, wildfires, downpours, floods and storms are just normal weather?</p><p>Do influential chamber members think accelerating Greenland ice sheet melting, feeding a recent 60 percent faster sea level rise, is an optical illusion? Florida is at high risk from faster polar melting.</p><p>Appropriately, the two business school professors in the Point-Counterpoint debate outlined the unequivocal science supporting worldwide concerns about man-made climate change and the need to curtail fossil fuel burning.</p><p>The chamber's stance deserves ridicule.</p><p><i>Lee Bidgood, Jr.,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p>